Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to the field of networking, and, more particularly, to wireless access points.
Access points (hereinafter “APs”) used to be specialized network devices that connect wireless devices (hereinafter “client devices”) to a wired network. As technologies improve, AP functionality may be integrated into other devices. For example, a computer can act as an AP, sharing a wired or wireless network with a smart phone. Smart phones, similarly, can share Internet connectivity over a cellular network with a wireless-enabled computer, such as a laptop. APs are frequently referred to as “hotspots,” and hotspots created using mobile devices may be referred to as “mobile hotspots.”
As AP functionality migrated to less specialized and mobile devices, the general functionality was not changed to take into account potential problems. For example, devices designed specifically to function as APs are generally connected to a “permanent” power source, such as a local power grid (via a wall outlet, for example). Mobile devices, however, do not always have a permanent power source. For devices that rely, at least part of the time, on battery power, inclusion of AP functionality can increase power consumption, thereby undesirably decreasing battery life.